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Posts Tagged “

cybernetics

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ask a biogeek

Where Are My Cybernetic Implants?

A reader who would like to remain anonymous asks:
As a disabled person whose body is basically falling apart (details too gross to go into), I've been wondering for a long time when I can get my cyborg transformation underway. What's the status of materials that are compatible with being implanted in the body?
First of all, Anonymous, my best wishes. I hope that the next advance coming 'round the bend is a comfort to you. There are two fundamental approaches to organ-level repair: the biological approach, which includes transplants and tissue engineered organs, or what we'll call the cybernetic approach, which creates replacements out of artificial materials capable of appropriately interacting with the body. Keeping this in mind, let's take a look at the cutting edge of human-machine interfaces. More »

Feature

9:00 AM on Thu May 22 2008
By Terry Johnson
5,947 views, 32 comments

Latest by Terry Johnson: @corpore-metal: I think your comments are on the money. The nutritional hacking we're so used to that we think nothing of it - iodizing salt, for example - must have seemed pretty radical. more »

human augmentation

Real "Iron Man" Suits are Coming, but are Just the Beginning

"Iron Man" fans rejoice: real exoskeletons are coming. Japanese company Cyberdyne has plans to start selling their model, the HAL-5 Robot Suit later this year. The American company Sarcos has its own prototype out, too, so the race is on for new generations of exoskeletons that can do everything humans an do, only better (and fly, too). But while you're watching videos of the two exos performing jaw-dropping feats of strength, MIT biomechatronics researcher Hugh Herr is getting ready to blow your mind by building building prosthetic limbs that could have all the super powers of exos. For the moment he's focused on helping people with disabilities, but he thinks it won't be long before we'll be implanting "bions" inside our body and considering swapping out our biological legs for the shiny new pair in the storefront window. More »

9:33 AM on Tue Apr 22 2008
By Michael Reilly
5,386 views, 29 comments

Latest by phoghat: Starship Troopers are here. Are YOU ready to be a citizen? more »

dystopian advertising

Animal-Cyborg Soccer Slaves Of 2178

This new ad for Puma's v1.08 soccer boot freaks me out. In the year 2178, soccer players will have their legs ripped off and replaced with weird cyber-horse legs, so they can trot around and do kangaroo jumps for the amusement of their beer-swilling orthohuman masters. Until then, the ad says, the closest you can get to being a deformed cyber-beast athlete is to buy Puma's newest model. It's just the latest in a long line of freaky dystopian adverts.

12:00 PM on Mon Feb 4 2008
By charliejane
3,925 views, 21 comments

Latest by n/a: okay, I've got a couple of points to add. One, How is this dystopian? It seems pretty much like a regular futuristic society to me. No scrounging for resources or civil liberty violations worth speaking of. Two, these are totally Satyr legs. more »

bionic woman

Licensing Problems Wreck Bionic Woman's Cyber-Limbs

Why are there no cool cybernetic limbs (like on the left) in the new Bionic Woman TV show? Many of us speculated that the creators thought nanobots were cooler, and regular old cyborgs were too old-school. But it turns out the answer has more to do with legalities, according to creator David Eick:
Part of the challenge, says Eick, was "we only had the rights to the show's title and the character's name, but, legally, we couldn't depict mechanistic technology that involved parts being placed on the body."
More »

6:21 PM on Tue Oct 30 2007
By charliejane
213 views, Comment

six million dollar man

Must See: The Six Million Dollar Man

Must-see TV shows are futuristic classics that shouldn't be missed. Of course, not every must-see is perfect. That's why we've rated them 1-5 on the patented "crunchy goodness" scale.

Title: The Six Million Dollar Man
Date: 1973-1978

Vitals: As the opening credits explain: "Steve Austin, astronaut. A man barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to make the world's first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster."

More »

10:55 PM on Sun Sep 30 2007
By charliejane
92 views, Comment